Commission OK's Costco: Fate of Pavillion unknownThe Park Pavillion at Kukui Grove as seen from the east. Will it end up at Island School?

Costco
permits for store, gas station approvedby
Tom Finnegan published
in The Garden Island News 25 May 2005

With little fanfare, members of the Kaua‘i Planning Commission
unanimously approved zoning permits to allow a new Costco warehouse
and gas station at Kukui Grove Village West yesterday, one more
hurdle cleared before the wholesale-supply store starts construction.

Costco Wholesale Warehouse leaders will be required, however, to
follow certain conditions, including making traffic improvements
in the area, abiding by recommendations made by state and county
agencies, and following an original landscaping and lighting plan.

Despite emotional testimony from both sides in previous public hearings,
no members of the public testified at the morning meeting in the
Lihu‘e Civic Center Mo‘ikeha Building.

However, a letter from Cheryl Lovell-Obatake imploring members of
the Planning Commission to impose conditions involving drainage
and water run-off, was accepted into the public record.

The majority of discussion prior to commission members' vote focused
on traffic issues and, prior to building-permit approval, Costco
officials will have to finalize plans to improve traffic-flow plans
around the store.

The "big box" warehouse giant is planning to build an
150,000-square-foot supply store and a self-service gas station
on a 15-acre plot next to and including a portion of the Home Depot
site. The site is expected to have eight entrances and exits, from
Kalepa, Nuhou, and Ulu Maika streets. It also borders Pikake Street.
The whole complex is on a parcel formerly owned by Grove Farm that
currently houses the Kukui Grove Center park and pavilion, which
is expected to be demolished this summer.

Costco leaders have proposed to have both the gas and warehouse
facilities opened for business by the fall of this year.

But before construction begins, however, certain conditions imposed
by members of the Planning Commission must be met.

Costco builders must first have a traffic plan approved by the state
Department of Transportation Highways Division and the county Department
of Public Works, to minimize traffic delays around the store.
"It's still being worked out," said Kim Sanford, Costco
development manager.

They also must use outside lighting that minimizes adverse impacts
on seabirds, such as the Newell's Shear-water, which get distracted
by certain spotlights.

An added condition would encourage the Costco builders to hire as
many Kaua‘i contractors as possible.
But the most, perhaps-precedent-setting condition came from the
commission's newest member, Imaikalani P. Aiu.

Aiu proposed a condition that a certain percentage of the landscaping
be native plants, common or endemic to the area.

After a debate, Michael S. Chu, an authorized agent with LP&D
Hawaii for Costco, and the project's landscaper, agreed that 60
percent of all warehouse landscaping, much of which will be used
to hide the "big box" feel of the building, will be endemic,
common, native, and Polynesian-introduced.

"We have made an effort to put in native plants from the outset,"
Chu said.

But the condition may have far-reaching affects, as Commissioner
Theodore "Ted" Daligdig III said. It may become a precedent
other builders may have to follow.

Aiu, the commission's environmentalist, said the commission should
encourage people to use plants native to Kaua‘i, to give back
to the land as it is developed.

Commissioner Sandy Kato-Klutke agreed.

"We should encourage people" to use native plants, she
said.

A final landscaping plan will be submitted with the building-permit
application.

Editor's
Note: The following is an exchange of emails regarding the fate of
a possible donation of the Pavillion at Kukui Grove to Island Schoolbetween Jane
Taylor & Mayor Baptiste.

Mahalo for your inquiry, however I have just been informed that
Grove Farm will be donating the pavilion toIslandSchool. Again,
Mahalo for taking the time to share your concerns as it is greatly
appreciated.

Mayor, the article,
in todays paper is defferent than your note of May 23, 05 below.
I hope the paper is incorrect. The quote in todays paper,
" The whole complex is on a parcel formerly owned by Grove
Farm that currently houses the Kukui Grove Center park and pavilion,
which is expected to be demolished this summer." Total
article below. Please tell me this wrong. Thank you.

Jane Taylor
Kapa'a

Editor's
Note: The Planning Commission has proven itself bankrupt of ideas
and vision. The planting of native species is a pathetic bandaid
on a terrible wound. The issue of the fate of the Pavillion just
grinds in the salt.

Two opposing
groups attended the Planning Commission meeting on Costco. Most
were local residents who cherish the tropical style rural isolation
of Kauai. There were a few loyal card-carrying Costco customers,
as well as many Costco corporate employees and consultants.

Present at the
commission table were Chairman Weinstein, Planning Director Costa
and Commissioners Nishimura, Kato-Klutke, Diligdig and Chaffin.
Several of the commissioners are already Costco members and are
eagerly anticipating a Kauai Costco.

From what I
could tell, it seemed that as long as rules and regulations were
met there would be little or no concern about the Kauai General
Plan or the effect of Costco to local businesses. Cheap stuff rules!

Robotic fueling
facility near Home Depot rendered as if it were autumn in New England

The Commission
is waiting for a traffic study from the state before it votes on
approval of the zoning permit for Costco. The Commission voted to
close the public hearing on the matter. There are probably four
to eight weeks before this issue will be finalized. So where are
we? As far as public testimony - Limbo.

I suggest for
those that still have a gripe with Costco coming to Kauai that we
get a petition going or individuals write members of the Planning
Commission with their thoughts. Since the commission's public hearings
on the issue is closed, you may have to reach the planning commissioners
at home.

Editor's Note: The following is a letter we received from a member of
the
public who attended the meeting.

Costco
and pavilion
The County of Kaua‘i Planning Division's staff report on
the Costco project in its preliminary report finds that "The
Kukui Grove Pavilion will be displaced to make way for the new
building."

The "new building" is indeed Big Box, Big Time Costco!
The Planning Division goes on to say that the Kukui Grove Pavilion
"is considered a landmark structure associated with many
local and regional social events for the island held through the
year."

Grove Farm, owners of the land said "they acknowledged at
the onset of the project" (Kukui Grove Shopping Center) "that
the Pavilion and surrounding passive park environment would be
indefinite temporary since land is zoned General Commercial and
because market conditions would ultimately determine the use of
the land and commercial expansion in this direction" …The
direction of the Pavilion!
Many families on Kaua‘i believe that Costco should not destroy
the pavilion or take over the parkland without replacing the pavilion
on another park site that is convenient to the residents of all
of Kaua‘i.

We, the citizen's of Kaua‘i, have great respect for the
County Planning Division's good judgment. Please send the word
out to the people of the consequences of building another ugly
Big Box and then charging them $40 a year per membership after
they have ripped away another piece of the soul of Kaua‘i.

Aloha Commissioners,
I have provided previously submitted written testimony regarding
Costco’s requests for Class IV Zoning Permits to build a
fueling facility and retail big-box store in Puhi near Kukui Grove
Shopping Mall. I argued in that testimony you should reject Costco’s
requests. I won’t reiterate the details of why it is a bad
idea to bring Costco to Kauai, because my written testimony can
speak for itself. Today I want to focus on what I think your role
is in protecting and enhancing our lives on this island.

More than any other Kauai officials, it is your duty to make the
decisions that are the implementation of the Kauai General Plan.
The General Plan is our road map to a mutually shared goal for
the future of Kauai. It is not perfect, but it is an agreed upon
starting point and a legal document required by state law. You
are its guardians. The main thrust of the General Plan’s
section on jobs and businesses is focused on diversifying the
economy and supporting small business. “Small
business is the foundation of Kauai’s economy”.
The KGP also addresses the commercial development that leads to
sprawl - “The County shall place a high priority
on deterring strip development and urban sprawl when making strategic
decisions on new commercial zoning”.

The Costco economic model is deeply committed to suburban consumerism.
It is a model that needs large continued growth rates. The model
requires an expanding population and economy. It encourages regional
travel for everyday shopping needs and is dependent on distant
resources and big volume for survival.

What Costco seems to have forgotten is that Kauai is an isolated
rural island in the middle of the ocean. There is no nearby region
to pull additional customers from when the economy slows. On a
small island there is a severe limit on population and economic
gowth if it is to be sustained for any significant length of time.
For many reasons, it would be better to have several small discount
general stores serving each town center on the island than have
one big-box-discount-superstore that everybody had to go to. Just
think about how we distribute food - there is a supermarket in
every town.

Kauai is at a tipping point on several critical issues - among
them - traffic, housing, jobs and loss of our culture. Face it,
we are about to be Californicated. Each additional big-box store
and large speculative development brings us closer to a boundary
beyond which there is no return to the lives we want to live on
this island. Approving Costco will damage local small and medium
size businesses and accelerate urban sprawl in the suburbs around
Lihue, thus setting back core issues of the Kauai General Plan.

Once again, please uphold the General Plan and turn Costco down.
At the very least, make Costco jump through some hoops to improve
their cookie-cutter bargain-basement plan. You need to control
our growth and development according to the Kauai General Plan
and not have Costco do it for us. Mahalo for your consideration
on this matter.

Juan Wilson: Architect-Planner

SUBJECT:
KAUAI PLANNING COMMISSION

Costco &
Kauai: What we should do now!

SOURCE: JUAN
WILSON

juanwilson@mac.com
11 March 2005 - 12:30pmSmack dab in the middle
of Costco. This will be all parking lot and concrete block wall.

Please be aware
another (and perhaps final) Planning Commission hearing will take
plase on March 22nd, 2005 on Costco. Be there. Details of time and
agenda will follow as I know them.

Today I mailed
the following letter to Chris Cook, the editor of the Garden Island
News. I plan to send it to the Planning Department as additional testimony
(12 copies needed) before the March 14 deadline for inclusion in Commission
documents. You can do the same.

11 March 2005

Letter
to the Editor of The Garden Island News
It appears Steve Case has over-leveraged Grove Farms in consolidating
the tens of thousands of acres he controls between Hanamaulu and
Poipu. Steve has been counting on a great deal of sprawling development
to pay for the debt and reduce cash bleedout. That does not mean
that every idea he has is a good one. Case in point - letting Costco
into Puhi.

After meetings in February and March the Kauai Planning Commission
is poised to make a decision on the economic and cultural fate of
our island at the hearing on 22 March 2005 (contact Planning Dept.
for details 241-6677). The outcome will clarify whether our elected
and appointed officials represent Kauai or corporate interests.
Many locals are so cynical that their answer would be “Who’s
kidding who. You can’t stop them”. That is not true...
if you care and act.

I won’t go through all the reasons Costco will damage small
business and ruin things that make Kauai such a unique and lovely
place. If you have seen suburban sprawl on mainland you should know
that already. For those interested, my case against Costco can be
reviewed at www.islandbreath.org.

If you are against Costco, please make the effort and attend the
hearing and request the Planning Commission reject the Class IV
Zoning Permit requested by Costco. You can also encourage our commissioners
be more demanding about what Costco (or any large corporate developer)
has to do to get to Kauai.

Even if you are for Costco, you can ask the Planning Commissioners
to put Costco’s feet to the fire. Costco is not a really a
warehouse, but a retail store. We should not let them create a big
concrete box in a parking lot on Kauai. It may be good enough for
the mainland, but not here.
Below are a few demands the Commissioners could make of Costco that
would take time, effort and money to satisfy. It will make for a
better Kauai Costco, but, if the Kauai Costco business plan is shaky
or marginal it may just fall apart under pressure. That would be
a good thing.
Let’s have the Commissioners ask Costco to...

1. Reveal its current five year business plan for the Kauai store.
Share data on expected store traffic and volume. This should include
Costco calculations on island development, economic and population
growth though 2020. Yes, they have the information or they are idiots.
Indicate the share of business to be taken from competitors and
the projections of Costco profits operating the big box through
2020. This information is needed to determine economic and traffic
impact on Kauai of Costco operations.

2. Fund a detailed independent traffic study that shows loads generated
by big box operations in Puhi. This traffic study should be regional
in scope, as Costco will draw customers from Waimea to Hanalei.
Until a bypass highway is built on Grove Farm land first, driving
congestion in the Puhi area will affect all traffic that need to
cross the island in either direction.

4. Incorporate into the site design the following: A storm water
retainment system (like Walmart’s) to ensure the safety and
control of parking lot runoff from the site. Depress the level of
the store (like nearby K-Mart) in order to minimize the damage to
ocean and mountain views across the site. Provide a one acre landscaped
public park on the site to replace the loss of the Kukui Grove park
& Pavilion. Design a bike lane-pedestrian sidewalk along the
perimeter of the site away from the parking and access roads. Do
not accept the proposed landscape panting plan and demand Costco
provide a planting plan worthy of the name “The Garden Island”.

5. Incorporate into the building design the following: Provide a
"Kauai” theme for the project by adding hawaiian/polynesian
elements to the design as has recently been done with renovation
to the Kukui Grove Shopping Center. Upgrade interor and exterior
finshes to reflect retail operations - a one time cost. Integrate
into the store an open air entry with landscaping. Add some skylights
and window into the "front end” area with a focussed
view of the Kipu Mountains. Incorporate a regional recycling center
into the building operated by Costco.

One might say that if Costco is not willing to bend a little in
coming to our island, why should we accommodate a cookie cutter
design by such a behemoth: We don’t need them to ugly our
island and our lives. But perhaps a more profound question of ourselves
is; do we deserve the savings Costco can provide in efficiency if
we cannot make Costco part of a sustainable and beautiful Kauai?

view
looking west towards the Kipu Mountains from Kukui Grove Shopping Mall at
Kukui Grove Park & Pavilion,
where Costco plans a Big-Box Superstore for Kauai.Note, in the foreground
is the ramp down t K-Mart

Editor's note: The following is a portion of public testimony submitted
to the Kauai Planning Commssion by Juan Wilson and Linda Pascatore.

You may have your written testimony considered if you submit it
to the Planning Commission (Civic Center at 4444 Rice Street Lihue
HI 96766) by March 1st 2005. This weekend is your last chance to
compose written testimony. Get in to Lihue on Monday.

Written testimony is the most effective way to communicate on this
issue. It can be considered by the commissioners before they walk
into the meeting to voice their decision.

If you are interested in the issue and cannot provide written testimony,
consider attending the meeting and speaking (3 minutes).

The meeting to approve Costco is slated for March 8 at 1:30pm.
Please check with the Planning Department to confirm schedule (808)
241-6677

Cartoon
in the San Antonio Express by John Branch

Nowhere
is Everywhere and Everywhere is Nowhere
Ralph Lerner AIA - Former Dean of Architecture at Princeton
speaking on the spread of suburbia

Costco
vs KauaiRecommendation
The Class IV zoning permits requested by Costco to build a Big-Box-Superstore
and a large fueling station just west of the Kukui Grove Shopping
Mall (KGSM) should be denied because the operation of Costco
on Kauai would not be in line with the General Plan for Kauai
and would not be in the interest of the people Kauai or the
businesses they operate.

The
Planning Commission Role
The County Charter provides that the Kauai General Plan be the
guideline for the Planning Department to advise the Planning
Commission on making decisions regarding land use and zoning.
Therefore, the decisions of the Planning Commission should further
the achievement of the policies of the General Plan through
implementing actions by the county. (See Kauai County Code Section
7-1.2)

Individual commissioners have a responsibility to support the
General Plan. In fact, the only way for the General Plan to
be achieved is for the Planning Department and Planning Commission
to be it’s defender and implement the plan through their
actions. The character and impact on our island of project of
this size requires careful consideration to determine if it
meets the goals of the General Plan.

The Case Against Costco on Kauai
To begin with, these Class IV zoning permits are requested for
a “Wholesale Warehouse” and a “Wholesale Fueling
Facility”. (see item #2 & #3 in Public Hearing Notice).
These facilities are misrepresented in this permit request.
These are in fact primarily “Retail” sales operations.

To evaluate these Costco proposals as wholesale operations does
not do justice to them in evaluating their impact on traffic,
community planning, and their effect on other retailers in the
area. These permits should be withdrawn and re-submitted describing
the actual operations of the kind of facilities run by Costco
in other communities - “Regional Retail Sales Centers”.

The economics of these Big-Box-Superstores requires volume.
That requires a large stable regional population or a fast growing
area of development to justify the economy of scale needed to
sustain profitability. Until recently, Kauai could not support
a Home Depot or Costco due to low population and only moderate
growth. Only recently has Kauai achieved green light for expected
“unlimited growth”. The planners of these “superstores”
are expecting and planning on a sustained fast growth in population
on Kauai.

Is that what we want? Given the growth required by these businesses,
what will the population of Kauai be by 2020? Will it match
Maui today with well over 100,000 residents? If you think it
would be better to have a population well under 100,000 on Kauai
in 2020, then let’s look closer at the General Plan that
is our map designed to get us there.

aerial view of parking and traffic in Meadowlands,
New Jersey(The Garden State)

Kauai is still truly “The Garden Island”, unlike
New Jersey, which can no longer be called “The Garden
State” (see illustration above).

The General
Plan states “Our environment IS our economy”
(see General Plan section 2.1).

Well, the
environment is more than that. It’s beauty and health
IS the quality of our lives. Whether it is as a set for an exotic
movie, a taro farm in a rural valley or an upscale destination
resort, the shear beauty and health of our island is it’s
greatest asset.

Costco will endanger the beauty & health of Kauai
The site of the proposed Costco Big-Box-Superstore is now the
Kukui Grove Park & Pavilion. The park is available for rent
from Grove Farms for public or private events. Music Concerts,
Indian Pow Wows and private parties are just a few of the kinds
of events that occur on the site. The views from this park include
a spectacular view of the Kipu Mountains. Looking from the north
towards the pavilion the pacific Ocean can still be seen.

The Kukui Grove Park and Pavilion is a good use of the land
it occupies. That will only become more apparent as development
continues on Kauai and open space is at an increasing premium.
The area of the Costco site just north of the Kukui Grove Park
could readily host a regular crafts fair, like the one successfully
operated in north Kapaa, or a host of other small business opportunities.
That kind of use supports more local people and manufacturing
than Costco and would bring dollars to Kauai rather than taking
them away.

The General Plan has as a goal the “Protection, management,
and enjoyment of our open spaces, unique natural beauty, rural
lifestyle, outdoor recreation and parks.... with balanced economic
growth and development promoting and providing good jobs and
a strong economy, without sacrificing our environment and our
quality of life.”
(see General Plan Section 2.1)

Once the Costco is built the view to the west from Kukui Grove
Shopping Mall (KGSM) will be ruined. Kukui Grove is the the
number one shopping center for residents on Kauai. It is also
an important shopping location for visitors. Damaging the view
from KGSM will only downgrade the the setting of the this shopping
center and somewhat nullify the fifteen-million dollar renovation
recently completed.

Costco will do more than ruin the view. K-Mart and Sears are
two important anchor stores at Kukui Grove. Both national chains
have had to shut down hundreds of stores throughout the mainland
United States due to competition from Walmart and Costco. The
KGSM Sears and K-Mart barely survived the last round of store
closings. If Costco had been across the street then these anchors
would be gone today.

If there is doubt about the impact on local retail merchants,
just examine what happened to Hale Kauai, a local chain that
provided building supplies at several locations throughout the
island. When Home Depot opened in Kukui Grove there was brave
talk from Hale Kauai about going head-to-head with the Big-Box-Superstore.
How many weeks was it before Hale Kauai retail operations were
reduced to a single hardware store in Koloa?

The General Plan states “Small business is the foundation
of Kauai’s economy, employing the largest percentage of
population.”
(see General Plan Section 4.0)

Costco will also damage business at Lihue area food supermarkets
as well. Two local operators will be threatened. The Big Save
at the Lihue Civic Center and Star Market at KGSM will be hard
pressed to compete with Costco’s discount prices and one-stop-shopping
“convenience”.

The regional effect on locally operated businesses will be widespread.
Certainly, the Cost-U-Less facility in Kapaa will be threatened
and there is little likelihood that any new local business will
be able to enter into direct competition with anything Costco
sells.

The General Plan states “In order to support continued
growth of Kauai’s existing businesses and to encourage
the start-up of new enterprises, policies and implementing actions
in the following section should be adhered to... Support and
encourage the development of a wide range of small businesses,
including home-based businesses. Support small businesses by
providing needed infrastructure to towns and urban centers.”
(see General Plan Section 4.5)
Costco is neither a start-up enterprise nor the growth of an
existing Kauai business.

Approving Costco is the antithesis of our General Plan
policies.
Once Costco is here there will also be a negative impact on
Kauai’s visitor industry. The tourists come here, rather
than to Oahu or Maui, for the natural beauty and scenic vistas
of our island. They don’t come to see the same strip development
they have back home, populated by Home Depot, Costco, Walmart,
MacDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Starbucks. They come instead
for a little piece of old rural Hawaii. They want to visit places
with exquisite scenic vistas and do business in small stores
that retain a little local culture and sell something they can’t
get in New Jersey. many repeat visitors to Kauai have bemoaned
the traffic and urban sprawl occurring here and stated that
they would be looking to other destinations in the future.

The General Plan states “Concentrate commercial and
industrial development, particularly new shopping centers which
attract a large amount of vehicular traffic, in Kauai’s
major towns and job centers in order to minimalize highway traffic
and avoid urban sprawl and strip development...

The County shall place high priority on deterring strip development
and urban sprawl when making strategic decisions on new commercial
zoning or recommendations to the State Highways Division on
highway development.”
(see General Plan Section 4.6.4)
There is no doubt that the approval of Costco will lead to urban
sprawl and more traffic problems on the island. Due to the fact
that Kauai is a mountainous island, traffic will always be arranged
like a necklace around the perimeter. It will not be a grid
as in many places on the mainland. In other words, the highway
system on Kauai is basically a one dimensional network rather
than a two dimensional network. Even a minor traffic problem
almost anywhere on the island produces a disproportionate problem.
It cuts the necklace in two.

In a limited network it is better to distribute nodes than depend
on one point to supply a need for all. For example, to reduce
traffic on our island it is better to have a Big Save Food Store
in every major population center so that shoppers do not have
to depend on a clear highway for twenty miles in order to buy
a quart of milk and a roll of paper towels. Approving the Big-Box-Superstore
model for our island is traffic suicide.

The decisions the Planning Commissioners are making may preserve
or forever damage our unique way of life on Kauai. Now is the
time to take a stand against ugly sprawl and runaway development.
We ask that each Planning Commission member take a stand in
support of the intention of the General Plan. Commit yourself
to a sustainable future for Kauai which keeps it’s rural
and cultural heritage intact. Once lost we will never get it
back.

Keep
Kauai Kauai!

Reference
MaterialNote: The following are portions of the Kauai
County public documents referenced in the testimony above.

Planning Commission Public Hearing Notice
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, of a public hearing to be held by the
County of Kauai Planning Commission at the Lihue Civic Center,
Mo`ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2A-2B, 4444 Rice Street, Lihue,
Kauai on Tuesday, February 8, 2005, at 1:30 p.m., or soon thereafter
to consider under the provisions of Chapter 8 of the Kauai County
Code, as amended, the following:
2. CLASS IV ZONING PERMIT to allow the construction of a wholesale
warehouse facility on property situated at Lihue, Kauai, immediately
south of the Kukui Grove Shopping Village bounded by Kalepa
Street, Pikake Street, and Nuhou Street, further identified
as Tax Map Key 3-3-10: 48 and 51, and affecting a total area
of 13.251 acres.
3. CLASS IV ZONING PERMIT to allow the construction of a wholesale
fueling facility on property situated at Lihue, Kauai, south
of the Kukui Grove Shopping Village, immediately east of the
intersection of Nuhou Street and Ulu Maika Street, further identified
as Tax Map Key 3-3-10: 50, and containing a total area of 1.51
acres.Kauai County Code
ORDINANCE NO. 753: THE GENERAL PLAN FOR THE COUNTY OF KAUAI
Chapter 7 of the Kauai County Code 1987, as amended, is repealed
and a new Chapter 7 is enacted, to read as follows:

Section. 7-1.2 Purpose
Pursuant to the provisions of the Charter for the County of
Kauai, the General Plan sets forth in graphics and text, policies
to govern the future physical development of the county. The
General Plan is intended to improve the physical environment
of the County and the health, safety and general welfare of
Kauai’s people.

The General Plan states the County’s vision for Kauai
and establishes strategies for achieving that vision. The strategies
are expressed in terms of policies and implementing actions.
They may be augmented and changed as new strategies are developed.

The General Plan is a direction-setting, policy document. It
is not intended to be regulatory. It is intended to be a guide
for future amendments to land regulations and to be considered
in reviewing specific zoning amendment and development applications.

Kauai
General PlanSection 1.2 Purpose of the General Plan
The General Plan fulfills legal mandates of State law and the
Charter of the County of Kauai. More importantly, it provides
guidance for land use regulations, the location and character
of new development and facilities, and planning for County and
State facilities and services.

• Balanced economic growth development promoting and providing
good jobs and a strong economy, without sacrificing our environment
and our quality of life.

Section 4.0 Developing Jobs & Business
A healthy economy provides income to island residents and is
essential to the well being of families and a good quality of
life.

Section 4.5 Supporting Business & Jobs
The Vision for Kauai 2020 states that, “Small business
is the foundation of Kauai’s economy, employing the largest
percentage of population.

... between 1995-97 more than one-half of all business establishments
had between one and four employees. All but four percent of
Kauai’s businesses have less than 50 employees.

Equally important is the ability of Kauai residents to obtain
employment that allows them to earn a livelihood.

In order to support continued growth of Kauai’s existing
businesses and to encourage the start-up of new enterprises,
policies and implementing actions in the following section should
be adhered to.

Section 4.5.1 Policy
(a) Support and encourage the development of a wide range of
small businesses, including home-based businesses.

(c) Support small businesses by providing needed infrastructure
to towns and urban centers.

(f) ... Seek commitments from new or expanding businesses that
they will actively recruit and train Kauai residents for new
jobs.
Section 4.6 Land Supply for Commercial & Industrial Use
Having land available to develop new business facilities is
essential to the well-being of the economy.
Section 4.6.1 Commercial Development
Not included in the shopping center inventory is the Walmart
Store in Lihue., which by itself has more floor area than most
of the island’s shopping centers.”Section 4.6.3
Policy

(a) The county supports commercial and industrial development
on appropriately zoned lands by providing the necessary infrastructure
and services.

(c) Concentrate commercial and industrial development, particularly
new shopping centers which attract a large amount of vehicular
traffic, in Kauai’s major towns and job centers in order
to minimalize highway traffic and avoid urban sprawl and strip
development

(d) Concentrate commercial development in Lihue, other urban
centers and in town centers.

(e) The county shall strive for a balance between meeting community
shopping needs with new commercial development and supporting
local businesses in older business areas.
Section 4.6.4 Implementing Actions
(a) The County shall revitalize and improve central Lihue and
Kauai‘s small town commercial areas by upgrading sewer
and water facilities, increasing the amount of public parking,
and improving streets and sidewalks.

(b) Develop a collaborative planning partnership among County
agencies, community and business organizations, private entities,
the State Highways Division to design highway and road improvements
in a manner that supports commercial activity in Kauai’s
business areas.

(c) The County shall place high priority on deterring strip
development and urban sprawl when making strategic decisions
on new commercial zoning or recommendations to the State Highways
Division on highway development.

view
looking southt towards Kukui Grove Park & Pavilion from Home Depot at
site of proposed Costco.
At the
left,good landscaping
sunk K-Mart below horizon line.The
view of ocean and mountain at center of image will be lost

view to the south from
site of the proposed Costco in Puhi near Kukui Grove Shopping Center

Tuesday, March
8, 2005 at 1:30pm - Lihue Civic CenterPlanning Commission Hearing on Class IV Building
Permit for CostcoIf you wish to stop Costco coming to this island, attend
this meeting. More important: provide written testimony prior to March
1, 2005 so that the Planning Commission can review your thoughts prior
to making a decision.

Railing against
Costco at the meeting will do little to change the minds of the commissioners.
Even those members of the commission who don't want Costco here worry
that without sufficient cause to bar Costco that there will be problems
not extending them the permit to build. Without cause it is possible
that Costco could even sue the county for arbitrary action against them.

So in your testimony
you need to focus on reasons that a permit should be denied.

digitally simulated view
to the south from entrance of the proposed Costco Warehouse in Puhi

simulation of view of Costco on Grove Farm property from Kukui
Grove Mall

Planning
Commission to hear Costco proposal Feb 8

Costco claims to
be a wholesale warehouse business. In fact it is a gargantuan retail
store with tremendous buying power and little service. Like Walmart,
Costco destroys locally owned and operated businesses where ever it
goes.

Besides destroying
several independent businesses on Kauai, and further concentrating congestion
in the Kukui Grove-Puhi area, the new Costco will destroy the view of
the Kipu Mountains from Kukui Grove and other locations with its bulk
against the sky and glare of sodium lights from its mammoth parking
lot.

2. CLASS IV ZONING PERMIT to allow the construction of a wholesale
warehouse facility on property situated at Lihue, Kauai, immediately
south of the Kukui Grove Shopping Village bounded by Kalepa Street,
Pikake Street, and Nuhou Street, further identified as Tax Map
Key 3-3-10: 48 and 51, and affecting a total area of 13.251 acres.

3. CLASS IV ZONING PERMIT to allow the construction of a wholesale
fueling facility on property situated at Lihue, Kauai, south of
the Kukui Grove Shopping Village, immediately east of the intersection
of Nuhou Street and Ulu Maika Street, further identified as Tax
Map Key 3-3-10: 50, and containing a total area of 1.51 acres.

All interested persons may present testimony for or against
any application as public witnesses. Such testimony should be
made in writing and presented to the Commission prior to the public
hearing. Late written testimony may be submitted up to seven (7)
days after the close of the public hearing in cases where the
Commission does not take action on the same day the hearing was
held.

Any party may be represented by counsel if he or she so desires.
In addition, individuals may appear on their own behalf, a member
of a partnership may represent the partnership, and an officer
or authorized employee of a corporation or trust or association
may represent the corporation, trust or association.

Petitions for intervenor status must be submitted to the Commission
and the applicant at least seven (7) days prior to the date of
the hearing advertised herein and shall be in conformance with
Chapter 4 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Planning
Commission.